Hedda.
Indeed! They must have taken him home then.
Tesman.
Yes, so it would appear. And Brack, too, left us.
Hedda.
And what have you been doing with yourself since?
Tesman.
Well, I and some of the others went home with one of the party, a jolly fellow, and took our morning coffee with him; or perhaps I should rather call it our night coffee—eh? But now, when I have rested a little, and given Eilert, poor fellow, time to have his sleep out, I must take this back to him.
Hedda.
[Holds out her hand for the packet.] No—don't give it to him! Not in such a hurry, I mean. Let me read it first.
Tesman.
No, my dearest Hedda, I mustn't, I really mustn't.
Hedda.
You must not?
Tesman.
No—for you can imagine what a state of despair he will be in when he wakens and misses the manuscript. He has no copy of it, you must know! He told me so.
Hedda.
[Looking searchingly at him.] Can such a thing not be reproduced? Written over again?
